She paused, and Nelson held his breath, waiting for her next words.
“But at that moment, my mind went blank. I didn’t know.”
“Do you know, Sienna I met at the temple is Marilyn’s mother.”
One sentence enlightened Nelson.
No wonder.
“I never thought that Sienna was Marilyn’s mother.” Callie closed her eyes in sorrow. “She is a very gentle woman. I even told her that if she were my mother, it would be wonderful, but… but…”
She couldn’t continue.
Never having received a mother’s love was a pain she could never heal from.
Nelson frowned.
“That’s how class works; you can never cross it in a lifetime.”
Callie opened her eyes and looked at him. “I once thought I was your first wife. I really liked you, and maybe we could try to move forward. But reality is too harsh, Nelson. Sooner or later, we will divorce. Your other half should be a lady from a wealthy family, well-educated and perfect in every way. It can’t be me. If I can’t let go, how will I live the rest of my life?”
Callie said a lot, her face burning. Nelson reached out to cup her face, feeling the heat mixed with wetness.
She didn’t know that there was a storm in his heart at that moment.
Gradually, Callie stopped talking. She leaned into Nelson’s arms and touched her face. “Am I crying… I thought I wouldn’t cry anymore…”
“Callie, we won’t divorce.” Nelson gently stroked her hair and answered her seriously.
She seemed drunk, yet not drunk. “I tried. There are too many obstacles between us. We won’t make it to the end. Do you understand?”
Callie had accepted it; she accepted her fate.
Nelson carefully stroked her face, his chest heaving, his feelings as complex as hers.
After a long time, Nelson finally looked up and signaled Anthony to come over.
He took the car keys from him. “Go settle the bill.”
Then he carried Callie to the passenger seat, reclined the seat, fastened her seatbelt, and adjusted the temperature.
Nelson hadn’t drunk alcohol, so he could drive. It was late, and the streets were empty with few cars.
Nelson just drove, passing the city hall, Ylosea University, and the long coastline until the whole city was completely quiet. He drove faster and faster, with only the sound of wind in his ears, but even the wind couldn’t blow away the gloom in his heart.
When he had driven enough, he stopped. His illness wasn’t fully cured, and he couldn’t stop coughing.
He turned to look at Callie, who was covered with a small blanket and sleeping soundly.
What was in her dreams? Was he there?
They were both smart people. She could guess that he pretended to be sick to lure her here, and he could guess why she said those things last night under the influence of alcohol.
Callie was awakened by the light. As soon as she opened her eyes, she saw the sunrise beside a tall building. She raised her hand to block it and found that the car was parked not far from Reuben’s place.
Nelson, who hadn’t slept all night, looked at her. “Awake?”
Callie looked at him, stunned.
The orange light fell on the man’s face, making him look exceptionally gentle. At this moment, Nelson didn’t seem like the executive of Oconnor Group but like an eighteen or nineteen-year-old teenager.
She heard her own heartbeat.
Callie looked away. “Did I sleep here all night?”
Nelson felt a sense of loss at her guardedness. “You drank too much last night. I listened to a lot of what you said.”